CHARGE ESTIMATION SYSTEM, CHARGE ESTIMATION SERVER, CHARGE ESTIMATION METHOD, AND COMPUTER PROGRAM

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To immediately estimate how much it roughly cost for a user to perform image formation by which image forming apparatus, and inform the user of the estimated result.;SOLUTION: Various data for estimation are managed all together by a charge estimation server installed on a network. The user previously downloads an estimation software tool from the charge estimation server and uses it, and even if the server cannot be accessed for some reason, the user can securely make an estimate before executing a job. The charge estimation server manages capabilities of individual image forming apparatuses and estimate data while making them correspond to each other and can make an estimate such that a job request that the user desires can securely be executed.;COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT